The NierenBlog

Creating Links That Count for NonProfit Organizations

This week I had the great honor and opportunity to be the morning keynote for Axelson Center For Nonprofit Management at NorthPark University in Chicago.

It was all about creating links, connections, partnerships and collaborations to build stronger and more powerful organizations, foundations and communities.

What a terrific group of people I had the  opportunity to meet and work with. They came from every type of non profit one can imagine from The Rotary to Habitat for Humanity, Colleges, Hospitals and many more.

An added bonus was that the award luncheon was run by Zoraida Samolin who is the Anchor for NBC5 News Today and was great to listen to her and meet her personally.

A special thanks to Pier Rogers, PhD who is the Director of the Axelson Center and for all of the terrific sponsors of the symposium including a big thanks to Jimmie Alford and his amazing consulting group, The Alford Group.

It was a terrific experience!

Carelesss Mistakes Will Cost You A Fortune

"Challenges are what make life interesting;

overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.
-Joshua J. Marine"

Knowing your “customer”, client, “ambassador to your business”, sphere of influence, prospect or friend -is key to continual networking and relationship building.

Here are three stories I heard recently that will make you smile or smirk in disbelief.

*A organization was pitching UPS for their business and “fed exed” over the materials...

*A group was trying to sell SONY and showed up for their meetings with Dell computers...

*A team was sitting down to meet with people from Visa and when asked to open their wallets, everyone had credit cards from the competition....

You might say-how can this be? Believe me, one cannot make this up. Carelessness and not paying attention to close detail can make or break us.

We can have the most amazing presentation; the most polished presenters and the “state of the art” materials-yet if we forget whom we are talking with, everything else is lost.

Here are topics that I learn about my “network” as we build the relationship over time and it takes time... Go through your database of connections and relationships and see how and where you can build. It is a continual process. First-make sure you make it to this point by not making the above mistakes!

Your Client Personal Profile

Name, Contact information,

When you have searched their name and organization-what comes up and what did you learn? (continually update)

Create a “google alert” for them-so you are always up to date

Birthday

Hobbies/Interests

Favorite foods/restaurants

Vacation interests

Spouse name Kids  Pets

Preferred method of communication

College or grad school

Special holidays

Job promotions/moves

Who you refer to them   Who they refer you to

How you met

Likes  and Dislikes

Prior Job

Anniversary of doing business together

Professional Organizations

Assistant’s name

Know what “motivates” them

The advice and information they have given you

How you have handled any problems that have arisen with their account

What they said when you ask them: “Why do you work with me?”

Midwest Book Review

It is always fun to get a review on one of my books. This is the latest from the Midwest Book Review. Go to the link below to see reviews of other great books.

Keep reading something new everyday that you can learn from.

Million Dollar Networking
Andrea R. Nierenberg
Capital Books, Inc.
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166
9781933102054, $19.95, www.capital-books.com 1-800-758-3756

What is the best way to grow your business, further your name recognition and meet new people all at the same time? Learn to effectively and efficiently network. Many people see networking as a burden but Nierenberg flips the script giving you motivation to get your networking on. Million Dollar Networking is packed full of useful advice, time saving tips, along with all the how to's and what for's. Even though this book is stocked in the business section, it should be read by people looking for employment, business owners, and everyday people wanting more out of life.

Million Dollar Networking is a follow-up to Nierenberg's "Nonstop Networking" but can easily be used as a stand alone and provides new information. The easy to read format, clever stories, and use-it-now ideas will increase your networking skills making you more marketable. Reading this book has provided keys to increasing my networking circle and I'm sure it will do the same for you.

Deltareviewer
Reviewer

http://www.midwestbookreview.com/rbw/may_08.htm#delta

Committment to Education and Students

Many of our fondest memories growing up go back to our college years and how the time and experiences shape much of our life. I was lucky to go to a great school in the Midwest and have stayed in close contact throughout the years.

My wonderful parents were the first to believe so strongly in Washington University and when they passed left part of their legacy in the Health and Wellness Center of the University.

I had a great lunch recently with Bill Stoll, Associate Vice Chancellor for Development and Mike Worley, Executive Director of Development and it was great to reminisce and talk with them about how far the school has come and where it is going in the future.

I'm excited to continue to be a part of my university both here in New York with it's extensive alumni network and also when I go anywhere in the world, I always find a 'fellow Wash U. alum'.

I remembered how excited I was the day the envelope came to see if I would get in for 'early decision'---I remember standing in the driveway with my Mom and was afraid to open the letter....

When I did, I was so elated and thrilled that I made the cut!!

I must say--that if I was applying today, I'm not so sure I would have gotten in!!

Make sure you take the time to reflect on your college and give back in any way that you can.

Making Friends and Networking in the Elevator

When we are aware, we are given messages constantly to learn from and today was a great 'aha' for me.

Standing in a very crowded elevator in a department store today, there were several kids and specifically twins that were five years old. They were both talking and laughing and everyone else seemed to be very quiet and then one of the twins saw another girl all the way at the other end of the elevator and walked right over to her and said: "Hi, I'm Emily and this is my sister Carol--what is your name?" She also gave the other young lady a handshake.

Everyone started to laugh and of course, then the door opened.

What a great lesson I observed and in some ways a 'true elevator speech'.  When we are very young, we have no inhibition or fright to say anything or speak up or even introduce ourself to another.

I'm not saying that the next time you get into an elevator to introduce yourself to everyone in it--however it was great for me to witness this scene and made me realize how important it is to be friendly, open to the opportunities and possibilities and you just 'never know'.

I for one learned alot from little Emily this afternoon!

A GREAT Resource at Barnes & Noble

"Patrick Malloy is my GO TO person at Barnes &Noble--he is the one I refer everyone for all corporate orders for my books and I know that I can rest assured that he will get the job done. 

Patrick is the Corporate Sales Manager for Barnes & Noble at the Citigroup Store in New York City.He is terrific to work with and his attention to detail to all orders is outstanding. 

He can get my books to anyone in the United States in a day or so using UPS.You can email him at crm2618@bn.com or call him at 212-750-8033. 

When you want to order any books at all, let Patrick take the job "off your hands."

A True Entrepreneur and Broadway Producer

    

Often I like to write about my friends who are so successful and also true entreprenurs--this is my friend Pam Laudenslager who I met years ago when we were both volunteering at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital.

An entrepreneur and former senior executive at Avon Products and Estee Lauder Pam Laudenslager founded an ethnically diverse entertainment company Hemisphere 2 Entertainment, LLC.www.hemispheretwo.com. That does feature films, TV broadcast and theatrical productions.

Currently Pam is a producer for the Broadway smash hit Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps (reopening at the Cort Theater April 29th) and the Off Broadway production, Beebo Brinker Chronicles, with fellow producer Lily Tomlin. She is a consultant for international distribution for the hit Broadway musical Xanadu. Hemisphere 2 is representing a variety of Broadway and Off Broadway shows targeting

Brazil

and the UEA as international venues.

They are currently pitching 2 feature films ThranAtlantic, the untold story of Alcock and Brown, the FIRST aviators to fly across the Atlantic 8 years before Lindberg and Road Runners, a little told WW II story of the of the “Red Ball Express”,   the mostly Black unit who delivered under extremely dangerous circumstances the supplies for Patton’s troops to help end the war. Both films are about heroism, courage, beating the odds and true grit!

If you would like to learn more about Pam and her business, visit her website  http://www.hemispheretwo.com

Treat Your Customers As Royalty

"Treat them as Royalty - What May Occur is Loyalty"

Even when someone is not buying our product or service and with the current economy, we could be slower then usual, I say- ramp up your client service techniques.

Now for some of us who say--"I don't have clients". Look at it this way--we ALL do. Some just may be 'internal client's and are disguised as co workers and colleagues

 

Here are 10 tips to keep in mind:

1. Understand how your clients’ expectations rise and change over time.What may have been good enough before no longer applies. Ask them and understand how to better serve them to help them with their business and needs.

2. Differentiate yourself from the competition.

Provide personalized and responsive service and go 'beyond the call of duty'. Treat them in a way that they will appreciate and remember.

3. Raise the bar for yourself.  You've heard of 'dazzling the client'--now find ways to do it. Be more flexible, faster and more efficient.

4. Never be content. Find ways to stay ahead of the pack. I find everyday there is so much to learn and new ways to implement. Make it your goal to learn and apply something new everyday.
    
5.Manage expectations. Build a firm foundation of trust and deliver what you promise. Then if something comes up, you will find the client more understanding and forgiving. A great line I heard once was to "under promise and over deliver".
 
6. Take personal responsibility. Your want your name to be golden to them and make sure you live up to that standard. Make it easy for them to do business with you and let them 'sleep at night'.
    
7. Bounce back with effective service recovery. Things happen that are often out of our control. When it does, go into major 'repair mode' and do whatever it takes to restore great customer goodwill.
    

8. Appreciate when your clients complain-they can be your best allies because they will tell you what you really need to know. Listen with your ears totally tuned up and then fix the problem. And thank them!
   
9. See the world from the customers' point of view. Take off any blinders and take the time to step into their shoes. Actually become a customer for your competition. See what the actual client sees and the way they might feel and then work to make it better then ever.
    

10. Service is the currency that keeps our economy moving. Customer service is always in fashion!! Strive to improve each and every day.

 

Go through your client base today--both internal and external and think of one thing you can do differently.

Remember your clients become your biggest advocates because they  praise and brag about you-which builds your brand and that leads to a stronger and bigger network.

Today is a great day to remember your special friends--always there for you!

Short and very sweet:
There are more than twenty angels in this world.
Ten are peacefully sleeping on clouds.
Nine are playing.
And one is reading her email at this moment.
Send this message to ten of your friends
including me.
If you get 5 replies,
someone you love will surprise you.

Time passes.
Life happens.
Distance separates.
Children grow up.
Jobs come and go.
Love waxes and wanes.
Men don't do what they're supposed to do.
Hearts break.
Parents die.
Colleagues forget favors.
Careers end.
BUT.........
Sisters are there,
no matter how much time and how
many miles are between you.
A girl friend is never farther away
than needing her can reach.
When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you
have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life
will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on,
praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on
your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the
valley's end.
Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk
beside you...Or come in and carry you out.
Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters,
daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers,
Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended
family, all bless our life!
The world wouldn't be the same without women, and
neither would I. When we began this adventure called
womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or
sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we
would need each other.
Every day, we need each other still.
Pass this on
to all the women who help make your life meaningful.
I just did.

A Dinner Speech Is Like a MiniSkirt

It should be brief, yet cover the subject!

At a dinner presentation recently, the speaker would have done a better job if he had adhered to this quote!

What started as an interesting message went down hill fast when he started to

* turn it into a commercial for his company

* kept talking for ten minutes after he was supposed to finish

* speaking down to the audience

As we were all walking out of the meeting, all that was remembered was the negative.

A huge lesson that I'm constantly 'going to school on everyday' rang true for any speaker like myself:

* Give value and information and don't make it a sales call

* Make sure that you know your audience and speak with them, never 'to' them

* End before your time--leave them wanting a little more and as I once heard, no one will ever fault you for finishing a little bit early!